Microsoft to unbundle IE from Windows: EU

[pmoeser]

There really should be a "meh" thread on this one, but as the title says, Microsoft to unbundle IE from Windows: EU

Read the rest at ABC.net.au news if you're that way inclined.

I doubt it will go so smoothly.

Who is going to have the ability to check that MSFT aren't changing code in the OS to make sure that their browser works "better"

They did the same thing to break other competing apps: Anyone remember Lotus?

[clinton1550]

I just wonder if the EU's decision sets some sort of precedent. Next thing we know, Apple won't be able to bundle Safari with OS X.

People have always had a choice in which browser they use, it's just now the choice will be brought to the forefront. I'll be interested to see if the decision affects IE's market share.

[John Chidgey]

Originally Posted by clinton1550

I just wonder if the EU's decision sets some sort of precedent. Next thing we know, Apple won't be able to bundle Safari with OS X...

It amounts to the same thing - the only difference is that Apple hasn't been using it's market position to strangle competition like Microsoft did with IE and Netscape. It's a fitting end to the saga but Netscape is long gone and it's a decade later and then some.

I'd suggest that longer term there may be some pressure applied to Apple to ship an alternative browser (or a choice of) with all of their OSes - including the iPhone/iPod Touch and the Mac. Especially as Apple OSes grow in market share.

[pmoeser]

Given the relative ease with which to install apps and that the browser is not an integral part of the OS I don't see any pressure on Apple any time soon.

Plus the fact that Safari is an open standards compliant browser as opposed to MSFTs proprietary one that held the adoption of new web technologies back so that web designers were forced by commercial realities to design for IE

[MichaelQ]

I thought they were doing the Ballot thingy rather than unbundling?

Microsoft got busted forcing manufacturers to install IE and exclude other browsers. Not quite the same as Apple electing to make it's own browser based on an open source platform.

It did give it the power of iTunes DRM over Microsoft DRM, but that's another story no one seemed to notice.

[jackbency]

Microsoft has repeatedly been over tying IE and Windows together. I am not IE fan at all but this is very ridiculous. The EU needs to leave Microsoft alone and let them do their business.